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The protest movement isn't broadcast, yet it might possess amphibious toes and protruding eyes.

Furthermore, it may involve the horn of a unicorn or the plumage of a chicken.

As demonstrations opposing the leadership continue in US cities, participants are adopting the spirit of a local block party. They've provided dance instruction, given away treats, and performed on unicycles, as police look on.

Combining levity and political action – a tactic experts refer to as "tactical frivolity" – isn't novel. However, it has emerged as a signature characteristic of US demonstrations in the current era, used by all sides of the political spectrum.

And one symbol has emerged as particularly salient – the frog. It began when a video of a clash between a man in an amphibian costume and ICE agents in the city of Portland, went viral. It subsequently appeared to demonstrations across the country.

"There is much at play with that little frog costume," says an expert, a professor at University of California, Davis and an academic who studies performance art.

From the Pepe Meme to the Streets of Portland

It's hard to talk about protests and frogs without addressing Pepe, a web comic frog co-opted by far-right groups throughout a previous presidential campaign.

As the character first took off on the internet, people used it to convey specific feelings. Subsequently, it was deployed to express backing for a candidate, even one notable meme endorsed by that figure himself, showing Pepe with recognizable attire and hairstyle.

The frog was also portrayed in right-wing online communities in more extreme scenarios, as a historical dictator. Participants exchanged "unique frog images" and set up digital currency using its likeness. Its famous line, "that feels good", was deployed a shared phrase.

Yet its beginnings were not this divisive.

Its creator, the illustrator, has been vocal about his disapproval for its appropriation. Pepe was supposed to be simply a relaxed amphibian in his comic world.

This character debuted in a series of comics in the mid-2000s – non-political and notable for a quirky behavior. In a documentary, which follows Mr Furie's efforts to wrest back control of his work, he stated the character was inspired by his experiences with friends and roommates.

When he began, Mr Furie experimented with sharing his art to new websites, where the community began to copy, alter, and reinterpret his character. As Pepe spread into the more extreme corners of online spaces, the creator sought to reject the frog, even killing him off in a comic strip.

However, its legacy continued.

"This demonstrates the lack of control over imagery," states Prof Bogad. "They transform and be reworked."

For a long time, the notoriety of this meme meant that frogs became a symbol for the right. But that changed on a day in October, when a viral moment between an activist wearing an inflatable frog costume and a federal agent in Portland, Oregon spread rapidly online.

The event followed a decision to send military personnel to Portland, which was called "war-ravaged". Demonstrators began to gather in droves outside a facility, near an immigration enforcement facility.

Emotions ran high and an immigration officer used irritant at the individual, directing it into the ventilation of the puffy frog costume.

The protester, Seth Todd, quipped, remarking it tasted like "something milder". But the incident went viral.

The costume was not too unusual for the city, famous for its quirky culture and activist demonstrations that embrace the ridiculous – public yoga, 80s-style aerobics lessons, and unique parades. Its creed is "Keep Portland Weird."

The frog became part of in the ensuing legal battle between the federal government and the city, which contended the deployment was illegal.

Although the court ruled in October that the administration had the right to deploy troops, a dissenting judge wrote, referencing in her ruling demonstrators' "well-known penchant for donning inflatable costumes when expressing their disagreement."

"Some might view the majority's ruling, which accepts the government's characterization as a war zone, as merely absurd," the dissenting judge opined. "But today's decision goes beyond absurdity."

The deployment was halted by courts soon after, and personnel are said to have left the city.

However, by that time, the amphibian costume had transformed into a significant symbol of resistance for progressive movements.

The inflatable suit appeared in many cities at No Kings protests last autumn. Frogs appeared – and unicorns and axolotls and dinosaurs – in major US cities. They appeared in small towns and global metropolises like Tokyo and London.

The frog costume was sold out on online retailers, and became more expensive.

Controlling the Optics

The link between Pepe and the protest frog – lies in the relationship between the humorous, benign cartoon and serious intent. This is what "tactical frivolity."

The tactic rests on what the professor calls the "irresistible image" – frequently absurd, it acts as a "disarming and charming" act that draws focus to a cause without explicitly stating them. It's the silly outfit used, or the meme you share.

The professor is both an expert on this topic and a veteran practitioner. He authored a book on the subject, and led seminars around the world.

"One can look back to the Middle Ages – when people are dominated, they use absurdity to express dissent indirectly and while maintaining plausible deniability."

The idea of this approach is multi-faceted, he explains.

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